Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said reliable telecommunications connectivity is essential to expanding financial inclusion, improving education and strengthening healthcare delivery in rural communities.
Kalu spoke on Friday at the commissioning of a telecommunications tower under the Federal Government’s National Universal Communications Access Programme (NUCAP) in Bende, Abia State.
The facility, inaugurated by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, is located along the Umuahia–Ohafia Road and is expected to improve network access for underserved communities.
NUCAP is designed to extend mobile and broadband services to areas with inadequate telecommunications coverage as part of efforts to bridge Nigeria’s digital divide.
The Federal Government plans to deploy 3,700 telecommunications towers nationwide to connect millions of Nigerians who lack reliable access to telephone and internet services.
Speaking at the commissioning, Kalu said connectivity had become a necessity for economic participation and access to essential services, particularly in rural areas where poor network coverage continues to affect daily activities.
“For those who have always enjoyed reliable network service, connectivity may seem ordinary. For a rural trader whose payment repeatedly fails, a student who cannot join an online lesson, or a family struggling to contact a doctor, it is anything but ordinary,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker noted that inadequate telecommunications infrastructure often prevents rural residents from accessing opportunities available to people in better-connected communities.
He stressed that geographical location should not determine an individual’s ability to participate in economic activities, access education or obtain medical assistance.
According to him, improved connectivity could enable traders and small business owners to conduct digital transactions more efficiently, while allowing students to access online learning resources and families to communicate with healthcare providers when necessary.
The expansion of telecommunications infrastructure is also expected to support digital financial services, electronic commerce and access to government information in underserved areas.
Nigeria continues to face disparities in telecommunications access, with some rural and riverine communities experiencing limited coverage because of infrastructure gaps and the cost of deploying network facilities in remote locations.
The Federal Government’s tower deployment programme is intended to address some of these challenges by extending network infrastructure to communities that have remained underserved by telecommunications operators.
For communities in Abia State, improved connectivity could strengthen commercial activities and provide residents with better access to digital services.
However, the long-term impact of the initiative will depend on the reliability of the installed infrastructure, affordability of services and sustained maintenance of the facilities.
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Effective collaboration between government agencies, telecommunications operators and host communities will also be important in ensuring that the towers deliver lasting benefits.
The Bende commissioning forms part of broader efforts to expand digital access and ensure that more Nigerians can participate in the country’s growing digital economy.
Kalu’s remarks underscore the need to treat telecommunications infrastructure as a development priority, particularly in communities where poor connectivity continues to limit access to essential services and economic opportunities.
